WOEBOT

Disgraceland.

0000-0243 "Umculo Kawupheli" - Mahotella Queens.
0243-0534 "Bayizigidi" - The Cockerel Boys.
0534-0926 "Holotelani" - Nelcy Sedibe.
0926-1153 "Demazana" - Mahotella Queens.
1153-1538 "Awungilobolele" - Udoktela Shange Namajaha.
1538-1759 "Mkhulu Lomkhosi" - Mahotella Queens.
1759-2059 "Amazimuzimu" - Dilika.
2059-2436 "Phumani Endlini" - Jozi.
2436-2931 "Motshile" - Malombo.
2931-3047 "Radio Freedom Sign On"

(Hit the Wadio Woebot icon you Chumps!)

This stream at Wadio Woebot comes without the attendant ham-musicological spiel. Instead (leans over lectern) I'd like to return to refer readers to this entry. Yeah I came across pretty bitter there, railing against closed minds with my brimstone and fire. I'm aware that people might see me as in some way a proselytiser for unusual music. They might think I'm doing what's now being described as "cheerleading", a most repugnant term which posits the useless wastrel of a music fan as a worthwhile link in the music industry foodchain, selflessly drumming up grassroots support for dem poor folks wot can't afford proper PR. Vomit.

At the launch party the zydeco-band/electronica-one-hit-wonder lean into the mic: "Of course we wouldn't have made it thus far were it not for the sterling support of xxxxxx at xxxxxx.com" Crowd cheers. Failing that xxxxxx gets a mention somewhere deep in the liner notes and a confidential phone call assuring him of the importance of his contribution.

Really, and I'm sorry to have to break this news to any musician friends of mine, I couldn't give a shit about advancing their careers. Atop of that I should add that I couldn't give a toss whether anyone finds any of the music I've written about interesting. I just couldn't care less, I spent years without sharing any of this with a soul. Sometimes I wonder why I bother divulging my opinions on the subject with other people at all. I've come to the conclusion that the reason is twofold. It appears to be good for my mental health not have all this information bottled up. Secondly in the process of "shedding my load" I can have a bit of creative fun, and acquire some pint-size celebrity. Occasionally I enjoy the company too.

There is a point in my bringing this up in relation to World Music. People who promote World Music can be an evangelical bunch of tossers. Quite often they start out with the best intentions (a naive love of the music) but pretty soon you'll find them wearing tie-died cotton pantaloons and turbans, slaves to a belief that in some way, by spreading the music, they're making the world a better place. They're breaking down barriers, doing their bit for the Third World debt etc. Almost without exception, they're died-in-the-wool beatniks.

(sighs)

Check this Umbaqanga. It's hard as fookin' nails. At once sweet and stern it's the ultimate rocking party music. At the last do I played, Dani Siciliano was begging me, pleading me, for more of this stuff. I said Dani; Dani please! It's not klutsy and fake like most funk (bar The Meters) and it's not pretentious and long-winded like Afro-Beat. I dunno why Hip-Hop hasn't had more fun with Mavuthela's railway-sleeper breaks. Seems like Malcom Mclaren was unique in spotting their potential within that context. It's bonafide AvantYob music, as heavenly and disposable as a sun-warped Channel One 7". When these tracks came out in the early eighties they must have been quintessentially Urban and Modern.

South Africa hasn't been sleeping either. There isn't the political context to add yet pressure to the music any more, listen to "the sign on" of Radio Freedom which features Tambo and Mbeki amidst a collage of machine gun fire, threatening to overthrow their oppressors, THAT'S Pirate Radio! However Kwaito has been burning planet-sized holes in my conciousness over the past month. This little retro-ting is intended to constitute some kind of interim report before I can burrow deep enough into Kwaito till I'm satisfied. Stay chooned.

I got snowed under by requests for CDs of the Disco Mix, all of which will be honoured. Cos I'm feeling really grumpy I'm not going to make anyone a CD of this stuff. Download RealPlayer. Listen to the stream. Stop whingeing.

Posted by Woebot at April 24, 2004 09:42 PM